Castro-Mission Health Center — Castro, San Francisco, CA
3850 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Hours of Operation
Services Available
Accepted Insurance
About This Location
Castro-Mission Health Center is an independent urgent care clinic serving the Castro community — not affiliated with a national chain or large health system. Independent urgent care centers often offer personalized, neighborhood-focused care with strong patient relationships and local community reputation. Typical services include walk-in care for minor injuries, infections, flu symptoms, allergic reactions, rashes, UTIs, minor procedures, X-ray imaging (where available), and lab tests. The clinic typically accepts most major commercial insurance plans, Medicare, and Medi-Cal, with transparent self-pay pricing for uninsured patients. Located in Castro, the clinic operates 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM on weekdays. Independent clinics often fill important neighborhood healthcare gaps where national chains haven't reached, providing more flexible, less-corporate care.
About Castro
The Castro is San Francisco's historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood, anchored by Castro Street and Market Street, and globally recognized as one of the most important centers of gay culture and activism in the world. It hosts the annual Pride march staging area, the Castro Theatre (a 1922 movie palace), the GLBT Historical Society Museum, and countless bars, cafes, and landmark businesses. The population is predominantly gay, middle-class to affluent, and ranges from longtime residents to younger professionals. Harvey Milk's camera shop and political home were here, and the neighborhood retains its identity as a political and cultural anchor despite rising rents.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this clinic different from a chain urgent care?
Castro-Mission Health Center is locally owned and operated, not part of a national chain. That often means more personalized care, stronger community ties, and flexibility in accommodating specific patient needs — though with less of the app-based technology infrastructure that bigger chains offer.
What insurance do you accept?
Most major commercial insurance plans (Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare), Medicare, and often Medi-Cal are accepted. Call ahead to verify your specific plan is in-network. Self-pay options are available for uninsured patients.
Do you do X-ray on-site?
X-ray availability varies by location — call the clinic directly to confirm. For conditions requiring imaging not available on-site, the clinic can refer you to a nearby imaging center or full-service urgent care.
What are Castro-Mission Health Center current hours?
Weekday hours are 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with weekend hours 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Saturday and Closed Sunday. Call ahead to confirm current hours, as independent clinics may adjust schedules around holidays and staffing.
+ More Urgent Care in San Francisco
Other walk-in clinics nearby
View All 81 San Francisco Clinics